Another Journalist`s Ebike Rant .

[RoadieRoger]

The Daily Mail Journalist Peter Hitchens has added a postscript to an Article on another Subject that appeared On- Line today . He says " I am increasingly frightened by electric bicycles , actually rather fast , near silent heavy motorbikes which are unregistered but can kill or maim . Are these ever-more common things adequately regulated or controlled ?".
Must be the only Journalist that is frightened ! I presume he lives in London . Shouldn`t he be more frightened of somebody`s kitchen knife coming his way rather than an Ebike ?

 

[wheeliepete]

Daily Mail journalist.......nuf said I think, someone tell him to grow a pair. Guess he must of missed the Charlie Alliston story. Someone should point out to him that any vehicle is harmless and only under human control, (or not), do they have the ability to become potential lethal weapons.

 

[Gubbins]

I was just reading a similar article in another paper where the writer mentioned the recent accident. His view was that cars maim and kill people every day and this rare accident shouldn't be used to put people off cycling.

 

[mike killay]

If we had the money, the best thing to do would be to buy Peter Hitchens an ebike.

 

[flecc]

The Daily Mail Journalist Peter Hitchens - - - - - He says " I am increasingly frightened by electric bicycles , actually rather fast , near silent heavy motorbikes which are unregistered but can kill or maim . Are these ever-more common things adequately regulated or controlled ?".

Probably he's a motorist who hates any suggestion that car drivers should switch to pedelecs for city journeys and commuting and the possibility of the authorities agreeing.

So a spoiler as a "nip it in the bud" tactic?
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[oyster]

About 24 kilograms (my Giant) is a positive flywieght against a heavy motorbike:

Four and a half tonnes.

https://www.instructables.com/topics/Worlds-Heaviest-Motorcycle/

I think you are talking somewhere around four times the weight of my Giant for a Honda 50.

 

[Gubbins]

Probably he's a motorist who hates any suggestion that car drivers should switch to pedelecs for city journeys and commuting and the possibility of the authorities agreeing.

So a spoiler as a "nip it in the bud" tactic?
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Heres a problem.. i see him on question time and a lot of what he says makes sense.. so should I believe what he says about ebikes?

 

[Gubbins]

No
As to be fair we don’t ride ebikes we ride Pedelecs so he is uneducated about his subject rant

Being specific about the words isnt helpful to those that think he may have a point and i fear they far outnumber those of us that know how wrong he is.

 

[Fat Rat]

He says " I am increasingly frightened by electric bicycles , actually rather fast , near silent heavy motorbikes which are unregistered but can kill or maim . Are these ever-more common things adequately regulated or controlled ?".

Ok
First he says “rather fast “ what is he talking about 15.5mph isn’t fast
And “silent heavy motorbikes “ that’s just laughable

I think this should be worried about as much as I worry about the weather tomorrow

He is spouting off even more uneducated comments

It’s a shame people allow such idiots freedom of speech on the net but there it is and to be honest there’s bugger all his daft mouth is going to do about it

What’s next for him slating electric cars as there silent or maybe he might start on Staffordshire bull terriers as there so dangerous
it’s nothing to do with the human factor on any of the above is it there just all dangerous obviously

 

[Fat Rat]

Being specific about the words isnt helpful to those that think he may have a point and i fear they far outnumber those of us that know how wrong he is.

To be fair thou if he can’t get there name correct how can he have any credibility
And as I said already there’s bugger all him and his uneducated mouth can do about it

He should worry more about dangerous drivers on there phones or drink or drug influenced while driving in 1000 kg plus cars not 20kg push bikes if he wants to worry about heavy transport

 

[flecc]

Heres a problem.. i see him on question time and a lot of what he says makes sense.. so should I believe what he says about ebikes?

No, horses for courses. The subjects he speaks most on in Question Time are likely to be those on which he feels confident in potentially disagreeing company. In the company of those very knowledgable about e-bikes he'd probably be more quiet or maybe express himself more tentatively.
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[Fat Rat]

No, horses for courses. The subjects he speaks most on in Question Time are likely to be those on which he feels confident in potentially disagreeing company. In the company of those very knowledgable about e-bikes he'd probably be more quiet or maybe express himself more tentatively.
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So what we need then is you too challenge his ridiculous comments
I will vote you in

 

[Gubbins]

No, horses for courses. The subjects he speaks most on in Question Time are likely to be those on which he feels confident in potentially disagreeing company. In the company of those very knowledgable about e-bikes he'd probably be more quiet or maybe express himself more tentatively.
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It's not a matter of who is right it's a case of who believes what he says has some basis in fact and assumes he knows what he is talking about.
I agree.. what a numpty full of sh1te, and I know different, but unfortunately I am in yet another minority..

 

[flecc]

It's not a matter of who is right it's a case of who believes what he says has some basis in fact and assumes he knows what he is talking about.
I agree.. what a numpty full of sh1te, and I know different, but unfortunately I am in yet another minority..

Fortunately not even a Tory government is likely to use the Daily Mail as a source for possible technical legislation. As we leave the EU the possibility that pedelec legislation will get any attention is practically zero, and that is the very big advantage of being a small minority. We are still just too small an issue for the DfT to be bothered with.

We were stuck with the UK 1983 law for seemingly ever until EU harmonisation prompted change.
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[Will Tinker]

Peter Hitchens? Never thought much of him.

His brother on the other hand... a voice of objectivity now desperately missed. Rest in Peace

 

[Muddy]

Hope it doesn’t got the same way as drones. There were a few cases of stupid people doing stupid things then the powers that be rolled out new legislation and red tape with the touch of a steam roller

 

[fishingpaul]

Hope it doesn’t got the same way as drones. There were a few cases of stupid people doing stupid things then the powers that be rolled out new legislation and red tape with the touch of a steam roller

I think with drones the risk of bringing an aeroplane down,and venturing into goverment and other high priority sites,forced new legislation,bikes are just a very minor possible nuisance,and are very far down the list of problems that could need attention.

 

[MRMAC9]

When you think of how many large lorries, vans, buses and cars pass through London each day and he picks on bicycles which happen to have tiny motors. Let him research how many cyclists are killed in London each years verses how many are killed or seriously injured by ebikes.

 

[tillson]

The problem isn’t Ebikes, it’s the illegal “dongled” bikes. I saw one yesterday going through a local town centre. It was probably travelling at 20 to 25 mph and it seemed completely out of place. It didn’t look right, it’s speed was unusual and eye catching, so these things will attract comments. The public at large can’t differentiate between legal or illegal Ebikes, they are all just dangerous Ebikes to them.

Thanks to those who ride illegal bikes, regulation will come eventually. It’s inevitable.

 

[Nefarious]

The problem isn’t Ebikes, it’s the illegal “dongled” bikes. I saw one yesterday going through a local town centre. It was probably travelling at 20 to 25 mph and it seemed completely out of place. It didn’t look right, it’s speed was unusual and eye catching, so these things will attract comments. The public at large can’t differentiate between legal or illegal Ebikes, they are all just dangerous Ebikes to them.

Thanks to those who ride illegal bikes, regulation will come eventually. It’s inevitable.

Out of curiosity, how can you tell it was 'dongled'? Speed alone isn't enough. Speed without effort?